Jays Edge Tigers; Fernandez Is Hurt

AP

Published: September 25, 1987

TORONTO, Sept. 24—
Toronto lost Tony Fernandez for the season tonight, but Manny Lee, the All-Star shortstop's replacement, made the defensive play of the game as the Blue Jays held off the Detroit Tigers, 4-3, and increased their lead in the American League East to one and one-half games.

The opener of the four-game series was played before 42,436 fans who saw Toronto extend its lead over the second-place Tigers. The teams will conclude the season next weekend with a three-game series in Detroit.

Fernandez suffered a fractured right elbow in the third inning when Bill Madlock slid hard into second base. Surgery Scheduled Immediately

He was scheduled for surgery tonight and will miss the remainder of the season, said Howard Starkman, a team spokesman. Fernandez was batting .322 with 5 home runs and 67 runs batted in.

Madlock led off the third inning with a single and was forced at second base on a grounder by Kirk Gibson. Madlock slid into Fernandez and they both went down behind the base.

Replays appeared to show that Madlock went out of the basepath. No interference call was made, and the Exhibition Stadium crowd booed Madlock loudly.

The game was delayed for six minutes while Fernandez was examined on the field. Starkman said Fernandez had hit his elbow on a wood border separating the artificial turf from the dirt sliding area.

Fernandez was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and was to undergo surgery to wire his elbow together. A bone at the tip of the elbow, the olecranon, was fractured, Starkman said.

Dr. Allan Gross was scheduled to perform the surgery, which was expected to last 90 minutes. Madlock Leaves Game

Madlock, the Tigers' designated hitter, was shaken up on the play. He was replaced by Jim Morrison.

Mike Flanagan, 3-1 since being acquired from Baltimore in a trade Aug. 31, outpitched Jack Morris (18-10) for the victory. Flanagan, 6-7 over all, gave up three runs on nine hits in six and two-thirds innings. Tom Henke pitched the final inning for his 34th save.

Morris allowed four runs, all in the third inning, and seven hits. He struck out nine but walked eight.

Lee preserved Toronto's 4-3 lead in the seventh. After Detroit scored on a bunt single by Lou Whitaker and singles by Gibson and Alan Trammell, Lee ran to his right and leaped to catch Larry Herndon's line drive, ending the inning.

The Blue Jays took a 4-2 lead in the third. Nelson Liriano reached on an infield single, Lloyd Moseby walked and George Bell singled to load the bases with one out. Ernie Whitt hit a two-run single to center and Rance Mulliniks lined an r.b.i. double off the top of the left-field fence. 22d Wild Pitch Morris then threw his 22d wild pitch of the season, tying the American League record set last season by Bobby Witt of the Texas Rangers. It came on a 1-2 pitch to Fred McGriff and allowed Whitt to score.

The Tigers, who left the bases loaded in the first inning, scored twice in the top of the third. After Madlock singled and was forced at second by Gibson, Herndon singled with two out and Chet Lemon followed with an r.b.i. single. Bell made a wild throw for an error on Lemon's single and a wild pitch by Flanagan allowed Herndon to score.